Drapery support



G. H. BAKER DRAPERY SUPPORT Jan. 10, 1967 Filed Dec. 16, 1964 M T N E V m Gizqge 1 flake w WWI/242G a uf ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,296,651 DRAPERY SUPPORT George H. Baker, Dunlap, Ill. Baker Drapery Studio, 2126 N. University, Peoria, Ill. 61604) Filed Dec. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 418,760 9 Claims. (Cl. 16S7.4)

This invention pertains to an improved fixture for hanging draperies.

One object of this invention is to provide a fixture which establishes and maintains the drapery folds and by which a drapery can be moved between open and closed positions. The invention eliminates the need for sewn pleats, special hooks or the like.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fixture which can easily be lengthened or shortened for different size draperies. The fixture is made of a plurality of drapery folding plates, different numbers of which can be installed.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a fixture to which the drapery is easily attached and from which the drapery is easily removed for cleaning or change.

More particularly, this invention comprises a plurality of drapery folding plates hinged together end to end, suspended from a supporting rod and carrying a drapery in such a way that the drapery, which hangs from the plates, can shift longitudinally on the plates. In addition, the drapery is provided with a means by Which it may be slidably attached to the folding plates and easily removed therefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a novel carrier by which the plates are suspended from the supporting rod.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drapery fixture embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a drapery panel for attachment of the fixture;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective detail view of one side of a folding plate;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective detail view of the opposite side of the folding plate;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 in FIGURES 3 and 4, and showing a section through the carrier and the drapery attaching means; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the carrier, from the right of FIGURE 5.

Generally, the drapery support of this invention comprises a plurality of folding plates 16 hinged together in end to end relation. The folding plates slide longitudinally along a supporting channel 11 to move a drapery between open and closed positions. The drapery is provided with sliders 12 which facilitate easy installation and removal of the drapery panels by simply snapping the sliders into a longitudinal track in the form of a slot 13 provided in the folding plates. The draperies are selfpositioned as a result of their sliding relation to the plates.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, FIGURE 1 shows a plurality of hinged drapery folding plates 19 slidably carried by a channel shaped support 11. The plates are made of molded plastic or any other suitable material, and may vary in size or shape depending on the nature of the drapery installation. The present embodiment shows the plates with two spaced parallel faces 14 in general vertical planes. The plates have a straight center section, shown generally as 15, and complementary hinge sections 16 and 17 offset laterally at either end and enga-geable to interconnect a plurality of plates end to end. When the folding plates are interconnected end to Patented Jan. 10, 1967 'ice end, successive plates are simply inverted to enable the complementary end hinge sections to be joined. Hinge section 16 includes a pair of ears 16a and 16b with an integralhinge pin 16c extending therebetween. Hinge section 17 comprises a centrally located split loop with an opening 17a which may be snapped over pin 16a to interconnect adioining plates. The plates may be assembled in any number to accommodate various decorating schemes. The hinge sections are provided with stop surfaces 18 which limit the degree of opening of the folding plates.

The hinged drapery folding plates are suspended from supporting rod 11 by an appropriate means which will permit the plates to move longitudinally along the supporting rod and to rotate with respect to said rod. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, supporting rod 11 has a longitudinal channel in which a plurality of sliders 19 are received. Slider 19 has an internal recess 19a which is accessible through a slot 191; in one wall thereof. Each of the plates 16 has a pair of supporting pins 21) integrally formed therewith and extending in a generally vertical plane from the mid-point of the intermediate body section 15. Each of the pins is provided with an enlarged head 29a which is receivable in the recess 19a of the slider, as best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6. The circular head 20a of the supporting pin is free to rotate within the recess of the slider allowing the plate to pivot with respect to supporting rod 11 as the draperies are drawn back and forth.

The parallel vertical faces 14 of the drapery folding plates have slots or tracks 13 therein, extending longitudinally of the plates and having a dovetail cross section. A drapery attaching means 21 takes the form of a fabric strip 21 sewn to a drapery panel 22 and a plurality of spaced sliders 12 secured to the strip. The strip attach'ng means shown is the male portion of a standard snap fastener which could be sewn directly to the drapery panels rather than to the strip 21. However, use of the strip with the snaps evenly spaced thereon simplifies the manufacture of the drapery in many cases. The sliders are slidably received by the track and thus provide a means for hanging the draperies from the .folding plates. FIG- URE 5 shows a sectional view of the proportional relationship of the sliders and the track. Since the plates are preferably made of plastic, it can be seen that the sliders may be simply snapped into the track.

Once the support bar and drapery folding plates are installed, this invention is remarkably easy to use. The drapery panel is merely a rectangular panel of material to which is sewn the attaching strip 21' with the sliders 12. The panel is then suspended from the drapery folding plates. As the hinged folding plates are opened and closed, the drapery panels follow the contour of the folding plates and slide to a proper position to form the desired folds.

The slots 13 provided on both vertical faces of the folding plates make it possible for draperies to be attached on both sides, to form an area divider, for example. Similarly, a drapery lining could be suspended from the slots in one face of the folding plates.

The plates 10 are preferably made of plastic by an injection molding operation. With a mold which is split lengthwise of the plate, it is necessary to provide removable cores to form the dovetail slots 13. In order that both cores may be Withdrawn from the same end of the mold, an opening 23 is provided in one end portion of the body providing access to the slot on the opposite side.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom for some modification will he obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In combination with a drapery and supporting rod, a drapery support comprising: a plurality of elongated drapery folding plates hinged together in end to end relation; means suspending said drapery folding plates from said rod for longitudinal movement along said rod and for rotation with respect to said rod; means for hanging the drapery from said plates; and means on said plates for receiving said last named means so that said drapery is slidable longitudinally with respect to said plates.

2. The drapery support of claim 1 wherein said means for hanging a drapery includes a longitudinal slot on said plates with dovetail cross-section and said drapery attaching means includes spaced sliders received in sa'd slot.

3. The drapery support of claim 2 wherein said sliders are secured to a strip sewn to a drapery panel.

4. The drapery support of claim 1 wherein said plates are suspended with two spaced parallel surfaces in generally vert'cal planes, both of said surfaces having a track extending longitudinally of the plates, and drapery attaching means slidably received by said tracks.

5. The drapery support of claim 1 wherein each of said plates has a straight center section with ofr'set hinge sections at each end and said drapery hanging means are slidable along said center section.

6. The drapery support of claim 5 wherein said drapery hanging means includes a slot formed in the center section of each drapery folding plate and a slider attached to said drapery and received in said slot.

7. The drapery folding plate of claim 5 wherein said center section has parallel vertically extending faces with longitudinal slots formed in both faces.

8. A hinged folding device for use on a drapery support comprising: a flat plate with oppositely bent ends, said plates having a centrally located supporting pin for mounting; a cylindrically shaped hinge, one end of said plate comprIsed of one hinge section, and the other end of said plate comprised of two hinge sections, said hinge sections having a flat surface to limit the degree of movement of the hinged folding device, said plate having a lengthwise located track to slidably receive a drapery.

9. In combination with a drapery and supporting rod, a drapery support comprising: a plurality of elongated drapery folding plates hinged together in end to end relation; means suspending said drapery folding plates from said rod for longitudinal movement along said rod and for rotation with respect to said rod; a longitudinal track on said plates and drapery attaching means slidably received by said track; and pin means connecting said supporting plates to said supporting rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DRAPERY AND SUPPORTING ROD, A DRAPERY SUPPORT COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED DRAPERY FOLDING PLATES HINGED TOGETHER IN END TO END RELATION; MEANS SUSPENDING SAID DRAPERY FOLDING PLATES FROM SAID ROD FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG SAID ROD AND FOR ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID ROD; MEANS FOR HANGING THE DRAPERY FROM SAID PLATES; AND MEANS ON SAID PLATES FOR RECEIVING SAID LAST NAMED MEANS SO THAT SAID DRAPERY IS SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLATES. 